Adhesive tape dispenser



Aug. 17, 1-943. 1 A. A. ANDERSON 2,326,917

ADHESIVE TAPE DISPENSER A I Filed March 17, 1945 's Sheets-Sheet 1 L apan/$02 v MJMJQMMJWT Aug. 17, 1943. A, A, ANDERSON 2,326,917"- ADHESIVE TAPE D ISPENSER Filed March 17, 1.943 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 wwww 61w I j w }Zz,' l- M E 0 PM i 1943. I A'. A. ANDERSON I 2,326,917

' ADHESIVE TAPE DISPENSER Filed March 17', 1943 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 17, 1943 Annnsrvn TAPE msrnnsnn Arthur A. Anderson, Bose '1ownship, Ramsey County, Minn., assignor to Minnesota Mining I: Manufacturing Company, St. Paul, Minn., av

corporation of Delaware Application March 17, 1943, Serial No. 419,440

7 claims. (01. 164-49) -This invention relates to dispensers for tape, especially tape that is coated with adhesive, particularly pressure-sensitive adhesive which is normally tacky without the necessity of being activated by solvents or heat.

' Objectiveslinclude theprovision of a device whereby a predetermined length of tape is accurately measured, severed and held in position ready to be applied to a surface.

Broadly, there is disclosed herein a dispenser comprising a feed element having a series of spaced tape feed surfaces to each of which is adapted to adhere an adhesive tape for'feeding by revolution of said element, a cutter forcutting the tape fed bysaid surfaces, and means for moving said cutter to cut said tape as "said feed element is revolved to feed said tape.

The feed element may be a wheel, the cutter may be a movable knife, and the means for moving the knife may be a cam which forms a means of connection between the wheel and the knife whereby the knife is moved to cut the tape as the wheel rotates.

In .the embodiment illustrated herein, the knives are sixfin number, located slidably center, their outer ends sharpened to sever the tape that is trained around the wheel's periphcry when they are thrust outwardly against it.

I The cam is located on the wheel's shaft and is,

9 v it, andya knife cam on the shaft whereby the knives are movedoutwardly and inwardly as the wheel rotates, thereby severing the tape intosuccessive short lengths as the wheel is revolved, the cut lengths adhering to at least one of the feed surfaces for ready removal therefrom.

1 The knives and fingers are here shown so.positioned in relation toeach other that the outward cutting end of each knife'extendsbetween the two fingers of each pair. thereof when the knife is thrust outwardlyl through the tape,

whereby the fingers serve to hold the tape firmly inwardly against the periphery and thus help the tape resist the knife'thrust sulficiently to be severed thereby. The cams here shown are generally of a thrusting type, the knives and fingers which they move being spring-loaded inwardly against them. The illustrated machine is adapted to be power driven. Switching means is provided whereby the machine operates through one dispensing cycle and c mes to a stop afterhaving withdrawn, meas ed, severed and held in dispensing position one piece of tape, all withwithas in the wheel and extending radially from the,

shaped to move the knives outwardly and inwardly as thewheel turns, the shaft and cam remaining fixed.

More particularly, the embodiment illustrated herein comprises means for holding a supply roll, of tape, a cutter wheel adapted to receive tape from the roll about its periphery, six pairs of fingers disposed about the periphery in spaced relationship, each pair pivotally mounted on the wheel so as to extend across the periphery over the tape when the pair is in closed position and so as to .be clear of the periphery when in open position thereby permitting the supply of tape to be introduced into contact with the periphery,

the inner edges of the fingers being adapted to form a series of angularly spaced feed surfaces about the wheel when in closed position which grip the tape by adherence thereto, a fixed shaft on which the wheel rotates, a finger cam on the shaft, followers associated with the cam and the fingers whereby rotation of the wheel opens-and closes the fingers, six knives slidably held within the wheel and extending radially from the center, their outer ends sharpened so as to sever the tape when they are thrust outwardly against out manual operation or assistance save the pressing of a starter-switch to initiate the cycle, so that the device is substantially automatic.

In the accompanying drawings and descrip-- tion the end of the machine .at which the operator stands when facing the machine to operate it is called the front, and the terms right and left are from the point of view of such operator.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine. Figure 2 is a right side elevation with the side of the casing broken away.

Figure 3 is a plan view with the upper portion of the casing broken away.

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-section of the machine taken on the line 4-4 in Figure 2 with the casing removed, showing portions of the machine in front elevation.

Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal section of the machine taken on the line -5-'5 in Figure 3 with the casing removed, showing portions of the machine in left side elevation.

Figure 6 is an elevation of the edge or peripheral portion of the wheel with half of the wheel shown in radial axial section taken on the line 6-6 in Figure 2.

Figure '7 is a radial axial section of half of the wheel taken through the longitudinal center of a spoke. v

Figures 8 and 9 are'vertic'al sections of the wheel. taken on the lines 88 and 9--9, respectively, in Figure 6.

Figures and 11 are sectional views of the portion of the wheel at which severed tape mayfinger-guide in position on the end of a spoke.

Figure 13 is a perspective view of a pair of fingers looking upwardly from below toward the tape-gripping surfaces.

Figure 14 is a wiring diagram.

A supply roll R of tape T is carried on the tape roll holder drum 20 which is journaled on a spindle 2| in the upright plate or drum support 22, the latter being fixed to the base 23. The drum is aligned so that the tape T will be properly positioned (in a manner hereinafter described) on the feed wheel (orcutter wheel) 30 as the tape is drawn forward from roll R. through the machine. A spool-shaped idle guide roller 24' is rotatably mounted on a suitable shaft or spindle in the upper part of the plate 22 over which the tape may be trained, its adhesive side contacting the roller.

In the present embodiment, the tape T is withdrawn from the supply roll R and propelled through the machine by reason of its temporary adherence to a series of feed surfaces (or tape-- gripping elements 3'|a3'|b which are carried by the cutter wheel 30. v

Cutter wheel 30 is journaled on.a. rigid horizontal shaft 29, the latter being fixed in two upright supports 28 and 28. The wheel comprises a hollow drum-shaped nave 30a whose diameter which holds the inner end of a spiral spring 33. The outer end is held in a second cup 34 which is inverted in relation to the cup 32a and slidably telescoped therein. The spring is loaded to press the outer end of the cup 34 against the inner wall of the nave 30a thereby holding the knife 32 against the stationary cam 29a at all times..

-' When the wheel 30 turns a knife opposite the is about half that of the entire wheel and whose width'or axiallength is about equal to the thickness of the wheel. Spokes extend radially from the nave, there being six in the presently illustrated machine. Each spoke is relatively thin (Figures 8 and 9) but hasa width approxi mately equal to that of the nave.

Star shaped side-plates 30c and 30d form the sides of the wheel. They are spaced from each other by the width (axial length) of the nave and the spokes, plate 30c being-here cast with the nave and spokes in one piece, plate 30d being a separate piece held to the nave by suitable screws 3|, and both plates having hubs 39c and 30), respectively (Figure 6), by which the wheel 30 is journaled on the fixed shaft 29.

Substantially all of the wheel's peripheral surface is formed by segments of sponge rubber 30g placed between the spokes 30b, their inner surfaces adhered or otherwise fastened to. the spokes and'to the nave 30a, and their outer surfaces approximately fiush with the outer end surfaces of the spokes. Opening 30h and slits 30k in each segment increases its yieldability so as to utilize a maximum area of the segments peripheral surface to press the tape against an object during a tapingoperation, i. e., 'when an object is being taped by pressing it inwardly against a, tapecovered segment, as shown in Figures 10 and 11.

Thin radial slots 30m (Figure 12) whose width is that of the spokes and nave, extend from the wheel's center throughthe nave 30a andoutwardly through each spoke to the spokes end is fixeda spring-receiving cup 32a (Figure 9) 75 cam's lowest point, the knife edge .1: is slightly "below" or within the outer extremities of the particular spoke 30b within which that knife moves. As the wheel turns, the,knife is thrust outwardly by the stationary cam 28a, the edge a: being somewhat beyond the ends of the slotted spoke at the outermost point of its thrust so that the tape which lies'across'the ends-of the spoke when trained around the wheel, will be severed by the said outward movement of the knife.

At the end of each spoke 30b is a pair of movable fingers 3l31' whose inner surfaces 31a and 31b, respectively, form the aforesaid feed surfaces or tape gripping elements which grip the finger 31' to hold the tape firmly against the wheel without cutting it but sufllciently narrow to loose its grip on the tape very readily. Finger 3'! leads 31 in each pair as the wheel rotates during operation.

.Each pair of fingers, when in closed position (see positions I, II, III and IV in the drawings), extends across the wheel's periphery at the ends of the adjacent spoke 30b with the tape between the fingers and the spoke, the tape-gripping surfaces 31a--3'Ib facing inwardly (toward the wheels center) thereby contacting the adhesive 4 side of the tape. In each pair, finger 3! is sufficiently spaced from finger 31 and properly placed in relation to the adjacent spoke, to permit the adjacent'knife 32 to pass freely between the fingers when it is thrust outwardly through the slot 30m in the spoke by cam 29a to sever the tape. j 1

Each pair of fingers 31 is fixed by a suitable screw 4| to an arm 310 which is pivotally mounted by a pin 35 on the side of the cutter wheel 30. The pin '35 is fixed to the wheel by being pinched or crimped in an annular groove 30f thatis turned in the outer surface of side plate 30c. Suitable slots are cut through the star points of the plate 300 in register with knife-containing slots 30m in the spokes, to re ceive the arms 3hr, which latter are also Partial y within the said spoke slots.

Each arm 31c and its fingers 31-31, is kept in closed position (Figure 6) by leaf spring 35' which presses the arm 31c about its pivot 35 laterally towards the side plate 30c-thereby pressing the tape-gripping surfaces 31a and 31b of the fingers 3141', respectively, inwardly/against the ends of each spoke 301) so that when tape has been trained around the wheel 30 over the ends of the spoke adhesive side up, it will adhere to and be gripped by, the surfaces 31a-3'lb. The springs 36 are held in place by a disc 38 which overlaps their inner ends and is screwed to the wheel's side plate 300 by screws 42. I To open the fingers so as to permit fresh tape lengths of tape that it dispenses, and

accept? to be laid in place along the wheels periphery, a cam iollowertt is located in each spoke slot 36m between the arm tic and a fixed cam 2th on the fixed shaft 2%. The leaf spring 36 acting through arm tic which it impels clockwise (Figures 6 and 7) about the pivot 35,, presses the follower 39 against the cam 2% at all times. The cam is shaped and positioned so that rotation of the wheel it?! around the fixed shaft 2% will open the fingers a desired distance and close them at desired times during the rotation of the wheel.

Lateral movement of the hiife 3t and the follower 39 within each spoke slot ttm is prevented in one direction by the side plate tile and in the other by a suitable spacer bar it which is in the slot between the knife 32 and the sideplate At the outer end of each spoke 30b 9. combined tape guide and finger guide is provided in the. form of a clip G (Figure 12) which fits over the end of the spoke and extends inwardly on either side of the spoke between the rubber segment 30g and the spoke. The parts of the clip which project outwardly beyond the wheel's periphery form a channel across the periphery to receive the fingers SL-Sl', and at the same time form a channel lengthwise of the periphery to receive service shelf m at the front end of which articles being tapedmay be supported. v 3

Mode of operation may conveniently be done by leading the tape from the idler 24 rearwardly'and downwardly as far as the spoke in position I, adhering the end "temporarily to a convenient surface of the wheel 54 which extend through the side plate 30d into suitable bosses 30 on the nave 30a; The gear and pinion ratio is one to six so that a complete revolution of the power shaft 5i turns the cutter wheel 30 one-sixth of a turn.

A cam boss 5 la fixed on the end of worm wheel shaft 5!, holds a switch cam 55 'by screws 5% which extend through arc-shaped slots that in the cam to permit adjustment of the cam in relation to the shaft 5i.

The cam is shaped to depress, for adesire'd period, the spring switch arm which thereupon depresses the actuating pin Bio of a single pole two-way micro switch 6| (9. switch wherein a slight downward pressure on the actuating pln will open one electrical contact and close another, and vice versa when the pin is permitted 4 to spring back up upon release of the pressure).

Spring arm (it bears upwardly against the cam 55. The switch is on an upright t2 that it attached to the base 23. Attached to the upright 22 is swell-known two-pole one-way relay 63 whose switches 63b and 630 are normally open,

the contacts being closed only when the field coil, is energized. A manually operated switch, shown here as foot switch with an actuating pedal 64a contains two single-pole one-way "micro switches 64b and Mo (a switch in which an electrical contact is normally open-or-closed except when pressure is maintained on its actuating pin, the pin springing back to normal when pressure'is released), one of which is normally open and the other normally closed. Their actuating pins are depressed simultaneously by a single bar'64d which is itself depressed by the 1 pedal 64a. 7 a A suitable casing i0 is attached tothe base 23,

having an opening its through which a portion of the wheel 3d projects to aflord access the ."t. h

Such release of parts there located and then rotating the wheel by the power means until the leadinglend has followed the rotating wheel around to position VI. The leading portion of the tape between V -minal of the field coil 63a of the relay $3. The

other terminal of the "coil connects through the normally closed switch fi th in foot switch ti and through the normally closed contact Gib of cam switch ii to the other side of the power line. The energized coil 63a thereupon closes the two normally open switches'fitb and 63c of relay 8%.

When the operator then presses the pedal 64a 01' starting switch 64% its normally closed switch 40 ttb 'opens but the crcuit through the coil remains closed because relay switch 530 is closed. At the same time the normally open switch t le closes and the motor starts, the clrbuit then being irom one side of the power line to oneside of the motor, and Irom the other side of the power line through closed switches 64c and 63b to the other side or the motor.

Switch cam 55, rotated by the motor, is shaped and positioned so as to depress switch arm 60 and thereby the pin Bio of stopping switch ti almost immediately after the motor starts. The.

motor then runs independently of the relay and foot switch, the circuit being from one side of the power line to one side of the motor, and from the other side of the power line through the closed contact Sic of cam switch fii to the other side of the motor.

The cam 55 is shaped and positioned on worm wheel shaft ii in relation to the speed of the motor and to the reduction ratio of the worm so'that it will release the switch gear assembly, arm 60 (and therebyopen the contact tic to shut the power oil? from the motor) at such a point in its rotation that the shaft 5| will coast to a full stop after it has made precisely one revolution. he switch pin 6la closes contact lb again and the switching assembly is automatically reset in readiness for the next cycle.

. If the operator has inadvertently left his foot on the switch pedal 64c, or depressed it a second time before the power is shut ofi by the cam55,

the shaft will still stop at the end of a cycle in the intended manner, because, whether or not the pedal to: remains depressed, the opening of tilt that occurs early in the cycle shuts on the power supply from coil 63a whereupon switches 63!) and 630' open. Then ifthe pedal 64a remains depressed, the re-closing of 6 lb toward the end of the cycle does not energize the coil because 64b is held open by the pedal and the motor rein stationary finger cam 29b begins very gradually to press the follower 39 outwardly so that at position V the fingers 3131' are slightly loosened. At VI they are partially withdrawn from full closed position, but due to the said lightness of the adhesive contact with the narrow knife-like edge 31b, the severed piece T-l lying between occurs automatically each time the pedal is depressed, turns the gear 53 (through the pinion 52) and thereby the cutter wheel 30 counterclockwise (Figure 2) through 60 of turn, which is referred to herein as one dispensing cycle.

As a spoke, with its various attachments, approaches the point where the supply of tape from idler 24 first contacts the periphery of wheel 30 (between positions VI and I), the cam follower 39 in said spoke is thrust by the stationary finger cam 29b to the outermost point within its spoke to which it goes at any time, thereby swinging the fingers 31-31 of that spoke (by pressure against their arm 310) to their most wide open position, as shown in Figure '7. After the tape has been laid in place against the wheels periphery in the tape-channel in the guide G, the fingers close over it at about the time they reach position I by reason of the shape and position of the fixed cam 29b. Pressure of the spring 36 against the arm 31c presses the fingers 313l inwardly against the outwardly facing adhesive coated surface of the tape so that it adheres to the inner surfaces 310-311) of each of the pairs of fingers that are associated with the spokes in the successive illustrated positions such as I, II, HI, IV,

'whereby rotation of the wheel withdraws the tape a from the supply roll and'around the wheel to a dispensing station. Adherence of the tape to the leading finger 31 of each pair is much greater than to the trailing finger 31 because the tapegripping surface 31b on eachfinger 31' is almost a knife edge (a few thousandths of an inch) compared with the full-width tape-gripping surface 31a of each leading finger 31 (Figure 13). The tape is gripped by both edges of each pair but primarily by the edge or surface 31a, the edge 3lb serving primarily to help hold the tape in place during cutting, it being desirable (as de scribed hereafter) that edge 31b will release the tape very readily at the dispensing station.

As the wheel carries a spoke onward from position I toward II, the stationary knife cam 29a.

gradually thrusts the knife which is held in that particular spoke, outwardly until, at approximately position III, the knife occupies its outermost position, the knife edge 1: having been thrust clear through the tape while the said tape was being held against the spoke ends on either side of the knife by the fingers 31-31. The tape is thus severed into successive lengths equal to the peripheral distance from center to center of two adjacent spokes. The leading end of each severed firmly held by the inner surface 311; of the finger 31 on the next succeeding spoke. As a spoke rounds the top of the turn the taper positions V and VI remains in its place on the wheels periphery, the edge-31b releasing it as soon as the finger 31' is moved outwardly and 'sidewardly away.. The natural stiffness or inertia of the tape plus a slight lateral pressure of the guide G against the side of the tape, and possibly other factors, apparently supply the tape with suflicient resistance to the light adhesive contact 'of edge 31b to break away when finger 31' is removed.

When it is thus in the space on the wheels periphery between V and VI, the severed piece Tl is in dispensing position, removably held by its adhesive contact with the inner surface 31a of the finger 31 that is at position V, the said finger, as stated above, being slightly loosened or raised from the end of the spoke beneath it, thereby facilitating ready removal by a slight ull on the severed piece. It may be removed manually by the operator or by a mechanical instrument and be applied to an object; or an object may be taped by pressing such object inwardly towards the wheels center against the upturned adhesive face of the piece. In Figure 10 a box -B is shown being taped in this manner. In Figure 11 a rod, wire, pencil, flower stem or other similar object is shown being taped, e. g., for labelling purposes, as by printed tape.

The dispenser remains motionless with the piece T-I exposed at the dispensing station as shown in Figures 1 and 2 until, after removal of T-l the operator chooses to press the pedal 64a whereupon the machine will automatically go through the next cycle and stop again afterthe wheel 30 has turned the piece T2 around to the position now shown as occupied by piece T--l.

The present invention provides a novel species of tape dispenser, as defined in the claims hereinafter, of the class broadly described and claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 400,143 filed June 27-, 1941,

I claim:

1. A tape dispenser comprising a rotatable cutter wheel adapted to receive adhesive tape about its periphery, a plurality of movable cutting blades mounted on the wheel and underlying the tape-receiving periphery, tape gripping means -mounted on and attached to the wheel adjacent the tape independently of any means outside and.

apart from the wheel means for rotating the wheel and means for successively moving the cutting blades against the tape to cut it when brought to a predetermined position by rotation of the wheel.

2; A tape dispenser comprising means for hold ing a supply roll of tape, a cutter wheeladapted to receive tape from the roll about its-periphery, a plurality of fingers disposed about the periphery in spaced relationship pivotally mounted on the wheel so as to extend across the periphery over the tape when in closed position and so as to be clear of the periphery when in open position thereby permittingthe supply of tape to be introduced into contact with the periphery, the

inneredges of the fingers being adapted to form /a series of tape gripping surfaces aboutthe wheel when in closed position, a fixed shaft on which the wheel rotates, a finger cam on the shaft, followers associated with the cam and the fingers whereby rotation of the wheel opens and .closes the fingers, a plurality of knives slidabiy held within the wheel and extending radially from the center, their outer ends sharpened so as to sever the tape when they are thrust outwardly against it, and a knife cam on the shaft whereby the knives are moved outwardly and inwardly as the wheel rotates, thereby severing the tape into successive short lengths as the wheel is revolved. the cut lengths held by at least one of the tape gripping surfaces for ready removal therefrom,

3. The device of claim 2 in which the fingers are disposed in pairs with the fingers of each pair, when in closed position, contacting the tape in both directions from thepoint where the tape is to be cut so as to help the tape resist the out+ ward thrust of .the knife sufliciently to permit the knife to sever the tape.

4. The device of claim 2 in which the cams are designed to move the followers andrthe knives outwardly at desired times by a thrusting movement, with spring means for the return movement.

5. A tape dispenser comprising meansfor holding a supply roll of tape, a cutter wheel adapted to receive tape from the .roll about its periphery, a plurality of pairs of fingers disposed about the periphery in spaced relationshii each pair pivotally mounted on the wheel so as to extend across the periphery over the tape when in closed position and so as to be clear of the periphery when in open position thereby permitting the supply of tape to be introduced into contact with the periphery, the inner edges of the fingers being adapted to form a series of tape gripping surfaces about the Wheel when in closed position, the fingers of each pair, when in closed position, contacting the tape in both directions from the point where the tape is to be cut so as to help the tape resist the outward thrust of the knife suiiiciently to permit the knife to sever the tape, a fixed shaft on whichthe wheel rotates, a finger cam. on the shaft, followers and spring means associated with the cam and the fingers whereby rotation of the wheel opens and closes the fingers, a plurality of knives slidably held within the wheel and extending radially from the center, their outer ends sharpened so as to sever the tape when they are thrust outwardly against it, and a knife cam on the shaft and spring means whereby the knives are moved outwardly and inwardly as the wheel'rotates, thereby severing the tape into successive short lengths as the wheel is revolved, the cut lengths held by at least one of the tape-gripping surfaces for ready removal therefrom.

6, A dispenser for pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, lncludingarevolvable feed means having a series of spaced tape feed elements to each of which tape is adapted to adhere by adhesive contact for feeding by revolution of said means, at

leastone movable cutting blade mounted on the feed means and underlying the tape when the latter is trained around the feed means, and automatic means for moving the blade to cut the tape as the feed means is revolved to feed the p 7. The device of claim 6 in which there are a pluralityfof movable cutting blades. I

ARTHUR A. ANDERSON. 

